The dawn broke over Hawthorne Ridge with a soft, silver light that filtered through the dense canopy of the forest. A quiet tension lingered in the air, heavy and electric, as if the land itself anticipated the events of the day.
The wolf inside me pulsed, restless yet focused, aware that the trials were far from over. Each heartbeat seemed to echo with promise and warning, a rhythm that intertwined instinct and destiny.
Kael led me to a secluded grove at the heart of the forest. Ancient oaks encircled the clearing, their gnarled roots twisting into the earth like veins of memory. Moss carpeted the ground, damp and fragrant, and the air carried a subtle charge, vibrating with energy that made the hair on my arms stand on end. This was no ordinary training ground. This was a place where t
